Venterskroon Inn, Venterskroon, South Africa

About a two-hour drive south west of Johannesburg, if you don’t get lost that is, you will find Venterskroon Inn. It’s a bar and grill in the middle of nowhere run by Pearie Ujdur and his partner, Leon Lindeque.

Finding Venterskroon Inn

“Nowhere” is a little untrue. It’s located in the heart of a World Heritage Site. Two billion years ago the largest meteor to ever hit the earth landed here and changed the landscape of the area forever. It’s known as the Vredefort Dome.

On the Way to Venterskroon Inn
On the Way to Venterskroon Inn

Venterskroon Inn is located on the border of the North-West Province of South Africa and the Free State in a predominantly Afrikaans-speaking area halfway between Potchefstroom and Parys. It’s about 10km off the R53 highway between the two centres on a well-travelled gravel road. It’s definitely off the beaten track, but well worth the effort once you get there.

The town of Venterskroon consists of only a few buildings; a museum, a hotel, a few houses and the Venterskroon Inn. Leon jokes that he is now the mayor of the town.

The Area

The Inn has picturesque views whichever way you look.

View from Venterskroon Inn
View from Venterskroon Inn

Venterskroon Inn is surrounded by mountains. A hike to the Vaal River, just 500 m away, provides opportunities for fishing, tubing or river rafting. There is also zip-lining nearby and for the more adventurous people there are 4×4 Trails. The museum, which has all the information you need to know about the meteor, is only a two-minute walk away too.

The Venterskroon Inn is a haven for locals from both Potchefstroom, Parys and places in between. It has a quaint bar which serves beer, wine and spirits as well as meals. What meals are on offer depends on what’s in the freezer on any given day.

Many regulars stop in on their way home from work for a pint or sometimes during work for a bite to eat. Pearie and Leon, who have owned the Inn for about four years, have created a very homey atmosphere.

Dining at Venterskroon Inn

Venterskroon Inn Dining Area
Venterskroon Inn Dining Area
Venterskroon Inn Patio
Venterskroon Inn Patio

The Inn has a huge enclosed-back garden which must be a couple of acres. A couple of miniature horses roam around the garden, a mother and son named Hingsie and Vroulief, inherited from the previous owners.

Miniature Horse at Venterskroon Inn
Miniature Horse at Venterskroon Inn

There are many tables and seats for what is the main draw at the Inn, Sunday Lunch. Every Sunday, Pearie prepares a different menu for guests. For about $15, you can get a three-course meal which he prepares himself. Because of the Inn’s popularity in the area that Pearie regularly feeds up to sixty people on any given Sunday.

Venterskroon Inn Garden
Venterskroon Inn Garden
Venterskroon Inn Grounds
Venterskroon Inn Grounds
Venterskroon Inn Picnic Tables
Venterskroon Inn Picnic Tables

After lunch, you can even enjoy a swim in the pool. Popping into the Inn is a great way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Relaxing Pool at Venterskroon Inn
Relaxing Pool at Venterskroon Inn

Weekend Getaway

The Inn is a great escape from Johannesburg for the weekend for people who want to get away from it all. The rooms rent for about $25. At the moment, the Inn hosts up to eight people in four en-suite rooms, but that number will increase to 32 after the guesthouse next door is renovated.

Room at Venterskroon Inn
Room at Venterskroon Inn

From Venterskroon Inn it’s just a twenty minute drive to Potchefstroom, a university town. It is and the same distance to Parys, an artsy town with some fancy eateries and antique shops. There are plenty of things to do in both locations and both are worth a visit.

Pearie and Leon are the perfect hosts. Pearie said that Leon will never turn anyone away who wants a drink at any time of day or night which, he said with a chuckle, makes closing sometimes a little hard with people staying very late into the night.

For a glimpse into what life is like near a two billion year old meteor site, the Venterskroon Inn is a must. Just tell them James the Canadian sent you.

You can contact Pearie and Leon on their Facebook page or call +27 18 291 1000

James Cowling
James Cowling

James Cowling is a freelance journalist. He was brought up in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and has lived in London, UK, for 20 years. He worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation during the election that brought Nelson Mandela to power in 1994. James came to London shortly after that and has worked for the CBC, NBC and CNBC. He also worked for NBC Radio where he covered the Hong Kong Handover in 1997, the Death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 and the Bosnian elections in 1998. James worked for press operations for the last two Olympic Winter Games covering figure skating and short track speed skating and at the last Olympic Games in London, he covered gymnastics. Since 2013, he has been freelancing for BBC World Service radio where he previously worked full time for seven years.

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